The Poacher; Or, Joseph Rushbrook - Фредерик Марриет 8 стр.

Well, that was as much as to say, come, at all events.

It was; I stammered out my determination so to do, if possible; but I felt at the time that my finances rendered it impossibleso there was an end of that affair. By my hopes of salvation, Id not only go to Saint Petersburg, but round the whole world, and to the north pole afterwards, if I had the means only to see her once more.

Youre in a bad way, ODonahue; your hearts gone and your money too. Upon my soul, I pity you; but its always the case in this world. When I was a boy, the best and ripest fruit was always on the top of the wall, and out of my reach. Shall I call to-morrow, and then, if you please, Ill introduce you to Mrs McShane?

I will be happy to see you and your good wife, McShane; health and happiness to you. Stop, while I ring for my little factotum to let you out.

By the bye, a sharp boy that, ODonahue, with an eye as bright as a hawk. Where did you pick him up?

In Saint Jamess Park.

Well, thats an odd place to hire a servant in.

Do you recollect Rushbrook in my company?

To be sure I doyour best soldier, and a famous caterer he was at all times.

It is his son.

And, now I think of it, hes very like him, only somewhat better-looking.

ODonahue then acquainted McShane with the circumstances attending his meeting with Joey, and they separated.

The next day, about the same time, McShane came to see his friend, and found ODonahue dressed, and ready to go out with him.

Now, ODonahue, you mustnt be in such a hurry to see Mrs McShane, for I have something to tell you which will make her look more pretty in your eyes than she otherwise might have done upon first introduction. Take your chair again, and dont be putting on your gloves yet, while you listen to a little conversation which took place between us last night, just before we dropped into the arms of Murfy. Ill pass over all the questions she asked about you, and all the compliments I paid you behind your back: because, if I didnt, it would make you blush, Irishman as you are; but this she did say,that it was great kindness on your part to lend me that money, and that she loved you for it; upon which I replied, I was sorry you were not easy in your mind, and so very unhappy: upon which she, in course, like every woman, asked me why; and then I told her merely that it was a love-affair, and a long story, as if I wished to go to sleep. This made her more curious, so, to oblige her, I stayed awake, and told her just what you told me, and how the winter was coming on and you not able to keep your appointment. And what dye think the good soul said? Now, says she, McShane, if you love me, and have any gratitude to your friend for his former kindness, you will to-morrow take him money enough, and more than enough, to do as he wishes, and if he gains his wife he can repay you; if not, the money is not an object. Thats very kind of you, dearest, said I; but then will you consent to another thing? for this may prove a difficult affair, and he may want me with him; and would you have any objection to that, dearest? for you see, ODonahue, I took it into my head that I might be of the greatest use to you: and, moreover, I should like the trip, just by way of a little change. Couldnt he do without you? replied she, gravely. Im afraid not; and although I thought I was in barracks for life, and never to leave you again, yet still for his sake, poor fellow, who has been such a generous fellow to me An how long would you be away? said she. Why, it might be two months at the most, replied I; but who can tell it to a day? Well, said she, I dont like that part of the concern at all; but still, if it is necessary, as you say, things shouldnt be done by halves, and then she sighed, poor soul. Then I wont go, says I. Yes, says she, after a pause; I think its your duty, and therefore you must. Ill do just what you wish, my soul, replied I; but lets talk more about it to-morrow. This morning she brought up the subject, and said that she had made up her mind, and that it should be as we had said last night; and she went to the drawer and took out three hundred pounds in gold and notes, and said that if it was not enough, we had only to write for more. Now aint she a jewel, ODonahue? and heres the money.

McShane, she is a jewel, not because she has given me money, but because her hearts in the right place, and always will be. But I really do not like taking you away with me.

Perhaps you dont think Id be of any use?

Yes; I do not doubt but that you will be, although at present I do not know how.

But I do, for Ive thought upon it, and I shall take it very unkind if you dont let me go with you. I want a little divarsion; for you see, ODonahue, one must settle down to domestic happiness by degrees.

Be it so, then; all I fear is, I shall occasion pain to your excellent wife.

She has plenty to do, and that drives care away; besides, only consider the pleasure youll occasion to her when I come back.

I forgot that. Now, if you please, Ill call and pay my respects, and also return my grateful thanks.

Then, come along.

Captain ODonahue found Mrs McShane very busily employed supplying her customers. She was, as McShane had said, a very good-looking woman, although somewhat corpulent: and there was an amiability, frankness, and kindness of disposition so expressed in her countenance, that it was impossible not to feel interested with her. They dined together. ODonahue completely established himself in her good graces, and it was agreed that on that day week the gentlemen should embark for Hamburg, and proceed on to Petersburg, Joey to go with them as their little valet.

Chapter Twelve

The first step taken by ODonahue was to obtain a passport for himself and suit; and here there was a controversy, McShane having made up his mind that he would sink the officer, and travel as ODonahues servant, in which capacity he declared that he would not only be more useful, but also swell his friends dignity. After a long combat on the part of ODonahue, this was consented to, and the passport was filled up accordingly.

But, by Saint Patrick! I ought to get some letters of introduction, said ODonahue; and how is that to be managedat all events to the English ambassador? Let me seeIll go to the Horse Guards.

ODonahue went accordingly, and, as was always the case there, was admitted immediately to an audience with the Commander of the Forces. ODonahue put his case forward, stating that he was about to proceed on a secret mission to Russia, and requested his Royal Highness to give him a few letters of introduction. His Royal Highness very properly observed, that if sent on a secret mission, he would, of course, obtain all the necessary introductions from the proper quarters, and then inquired of ODonahue what his rank was, where he had served, etcetera. To the latter questions ODonahue gave a very satisfactory reply, and convinced the Duke that he was an officer of merit. Then came the question as to his secret mission, which his Royal Highness had never heard of. May it please your Royal Highness, theres a little mistake about this same secret mission; its not on account of government that Im going, but on my own secret service; and ODonahue, finding himself fairly in for it, confessed that he was after a lady of high rank, and that if he did not obtain letters of introduction, he should not probably find the means of entering the society in which she was to be found, and that as an officer who had served faithfully, he trusted that he should not be refused.

His Royal Highness laughed at his disclosure, and, as there was no objection to giving ODonahue a letter or two, with his usual good-nature he ordered them to be written, and having given them to him, wished him every success. ODonahue bowed to the ground, and quitted the Horse Guards, delighted with the success of his impudent attempt.

Being thus provided, the party set off in a vessel bound to Hamburg, where they arrived without any accident, although very sea-sick; from Hamburg they proceeded to Lübeck, and re-embarked at Travemünde in a brig, which was bound for Riga; the wind was fair, and their passage was short. On their arrival they put up at an hotel, and finding themselves in a country where English was not understood, ODonahue proceeded to the house of the English consul, informing him that he was going on a secret mission to Petersburg, and showing, as evidences of his respectability and the truth of his assertions, the letters given him by his Royal Highness. These were quite sufficient for the consul, who immediately offered his services. Not being able to procure at Riga a courier who could speak French or English, the consul took a great deal of trouble to assist them in their long journey to Petersburg. He made out a list of the posts, the number of versts, and the money that was to be paid; he changed some of ODonahues gold into Russian paper-money, and gave all the necessary instructions. The great difficulty was to find any carriage to carry them to the capital, but at last they found an old cabriolet on four wheels which might answer, and, bidding adieu to the consul, they obtained horses, and set off.

Now, McShane, you must take care of the money, and pay the driver, said ODonahue, pulling out several pieces of thick paper, some coloured red, some blue, and others of a dirty white.

Is this money? said McShane, with astonishment.

Yes, thats roubles.

Roubles, are they? I wonder what theyd call them in Ireland; they look like soup-tickets.

Never mind. And now, McShane, there are two words which the consul has told me to make use of: one is Scoro, and when you say that, it means Go fast, and you hold up a small bit of money at the same time.

Scoro! well, thats a word I shant forget.

But, then, theres another, which is Scorae.

And what may be the English of that?

Why, that means Go faster, and with that you hold up a larger piece of money.

Why, then, its no use remembering Scoro at all, for Scorae will do much better; so we need not burden ourselves with the first at all. Suppose we try the effect of that last word upon our bear-skin friend who is driving!

McShane held up a rouble, and called out to the driverScorae! The fellow turned his head, smiled, and lashed his horses until they were at the full speed, and then looked back at them for approval.

By the powers, thats no fool of a word! it will take us all the way to Saint Petersburg as fast as we wish.

We do not sleep on the road, but travel night and day, said ODonahue, for there is no place worth sleeping at.

And the ating, ODonahue?

We must get that by signs, for we have no other means.

On that point they soon found they had no difficulty; and thus they proceeded, without speaking a word of the language, day and night, until they arrived at the capital.

At the entrance their passports were demanded, and the officer at the guard-house came out and told them that a Cossack would accompany them. A Cossack, with a spear as long as a fir-tree, and a beard not quite so long, then took them in charge, and trotted before the carriage, the driver following him at a slow pace.

Ant we prisoners? inquired McShane.

I dont know, but it looks very like it, replied ODonahue.

This, however, was not the case. The carriage drove to a splendid street called the Neffsky Perspective, and as soon as it stopped at the entrance of an hotel, the Cossack, after speaking to the landlord, who came out, took his departure.

A journey of four hundred miles, day and night, is no joke: our travellers fell fast asleep in their spacious apartment, and it was not till the next day that they found themselves clean and comfortable, Joey being dressed in a rich livery, as a sort of page, and McShane doing duty as valet when others were present, and when sitting alone with ODonahue, taking his fair share of the bottle.

Two days after their arrival, the landlord procured for ODonahue a courier who could speak both English and French as well as Russian, and almost every other language. It was resolved by ODonahue and McShane, in council, to dress him up in a splendid uniform; and a carriage having been hired for the month, ODonahue felt that he was in a position to present his credentials to the English ambassador and the other parties for whom he had received letters of introduction.

Chapter Thirteen

For 300 roubles a month, ODonahue had procured a drosky, very handsomely fitted up; the shaft horse was a splendid trotter, and the other, a beautiful-shaped animal, capered about curving his neck, until his nose almost touched his knee, and prancing, so as to be the admiration of the passers-by. His coachman, whose name was Athenasis, had the largest beard in Saint Petersburg; Joey was the smallest tiger; Dimitri, one of the tallest and handsomest yägers. Altogether, Captain ODonahue had laid out his money well; and on a fine, sunny day he set off to present his letters to the English ambassador and other parties. Although the letters were very short, it was quite sufficient that they were written by so distinguished and so universally beloved a person as his Royal Highness. The ambassador, Lord Saint H, immediately desired ODonahue to consider his house open to him, requesting the pleasure of his company to dinner on the following day, and offered to present him to the Emperor at the first levee. ODonahue took his leave, delighted with his success, and then drove to the hotel of the Princess Woronzoff, Count Nesselrode, and Prince Gallitzin, where he found himself equally well received. After his visits were all paid, ODonahue sported his handsome equipage on the English and Russian quays, and up and down the Neffsky Perspective for an hour or two, and then returned to the hotel.

I am very sorry, said ODonahue, after he had narrated to McShane all that had taken place, that I permitted you to put yourself down on the passport as valet in the foolish way you have. You would have enjoyed yourself as much as I probably shall, and have been in your proper position in society.

Then Im not sorry at all, ODonahue, and Ill tell you why. I should have enjoyed myself, I do not doubtbut I should have enjoyed myself too much; and, after dining with ambassadors, and princes, and counts, and all that thingshould I ever have gone back comfortable and contented to Mrs McShane, and the cooks shop? No, noIm not exactly reconciled, as it is; and if I were to be drinking champagne, and ating French kickshaws with the Russian nobility for three or four months, dancing perhaps with princesses, and whispering in the ears of duchesses, wouldnt my nose turn up with contempt at the beefsteak pie, and poor Mrs McShane, with all her kind smiles, look twice as corpulent as ever? No, no, Im better here, and Im a wise man, although I say it myself.